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“He’s my brother.”

“Yes.” His eyes shifted back to hers. “What are you doing here?”

She bit into her lip, her heart thumping. That was an excellent question. “I think we need to talk.”

His eyes roamed her features and then he nodded once. “Yes.” He stepped back, away from her, so her hands dropped to her side. “Come in.”

There was a formality to his tone she chose not to register. Or perhaps a caution. Either way, her own thoughts and feelings were crowding her mind, making it hard to hear his hesitation.

“I’m so sorry about my brother,” she said, when they were deeper in his apartment, hands ringing in her front. “He had no right?—,”

“I’ve told you, it doesn’t matter. I understand it.”

“There is no excuse for violence.”

“No.”

“And he should know that. He of all people?—,”

“Why?”

She opened her mouth to explain. To tell him about Skye’s ex, who had been abusive and violent and made Skye live in fear. But it was a deeply private part of Skye’s life, and she wasn’t sure if it was her place to share it.

“He just—abhors violence.”

“We can all do things we wouldn’t expect, in certain circumstances.”

“Did you get it checked out?”

“No.”

“Does it hurt?”

He looked at her with an expression that was bordering on mocking, so she rolled her eyes. “Don’t tell me you’re too tough to feel pain.”

“It’s uncomfortable to sleep,” he admitted, as if to mollify her. “But I’m pretty sure I’ll live.”

A shudder ran down her spine at the possibility that he might not. That anything could ever happen to him, to take him away from her. And in that moment, she knew. She really absolutely knew the truth of her heart. It was like being struck with lightning, clear and instant, so she stood up straighter and stared at him, her whole body fizzing with warmth at the brand new clarity.

“I love you,” she said, the words almost hurled at him. “Oh my God, Salvatore. I’m in love with you. I knew—I knew I didn’t want this to end, but I didn’t realise—I didn’t know—I’m completely in love with you.”

Salvatore stood perfectly still, except for his eyes, which seemed to twist and turn in an attempt to make sense of her admission. It made her realise how stupid she’d been to ever think she’d loved Jesse. True, she’d been young, but she’d truly believed he’d made his way into her heart.

What a joke.

He’d barely scratched the surface.

Whereas Salvatore’s very essence was deep inside her, writhing, twisting, taking over every cell and organ, becoming more and more a part of her, almost more than she could bear. But what option did she have? She couldn’t walk away from this.

“I love you,” she said again, and this time, there was a huge swelling of relief. That she’d recognised her feelings, and was saying them aloud.

“Emilia—,” his exhalation was a sigh. Definitely less joyous than she was feeling. It was almost enough to put a dampener on her mood, but not quite.

“I know, I know. I know a lot’s happened in the last twenty four hours. I get it. But none of that matters. None of that changes anything?—,”

“It changeseverything.” His voice was quiet but his words had the strength of steel. “You must see that.”

“Why?”